The ominous grey cloudy sky was the first thing one could see when looking up past the canopy of musty green. Pale cold rays of light, along with the soft drizzles of rain penetrated the deep leafy layers onto the ground of mushy mud and water puddles. The hunting patrol padded slowly throughout the forest, the scent of rain and mud overpowering everything, including prey.
His pelt were ragged with water from the light drizzles of rain, his grey paws now were caked with muddy brown. He wondered what would they catch in the rainy season like this, but mere thought of his sister's family washed away the thought. He has to catch something, for her. She's still grieving for their late brother, he need to help her somehow, for that he can't even protect their brother, he has to protect his only sister now.
Suddenly, the scent of a mouse waved through the air, he stopped dead in his tracks and crept along the scent. His fellow clanmates on patrol also scented the air and waited for him. He increased his pace, following where the scent leaded to.
Maybe desperation drove him to such lengths as for him to be following the mouse scent trials. But feeding the clan was the priority to them, for his sister. Suddenly, a gush of wind and heavy rain washed down on him, almost like trying to push him away, however, mere heartbeats later, the rain calmed down until it was the very same drizzle it was formerly, so does the wind. The only thing that changed was the scent of mouse, that was nowhere to be scent. He lashed his tail in frustration and padded back to where the patrol was.
Still in his irritated haze, he did not notice the swaying of the tree trunk next to him. Hazardly, it shook and partially collapsed. The mere thought of his sister that flashed into his mind made him calmed down, and eventually smiled slightly, oblivious to the danger behind him.
Suddenly, Thornclaw urgently yowled something he didn't catch. It sound suspiciously similar to dodge! He turned around, too late. The tree now loomed over him, he can't make it out now. His eyes widen and his mind screamed run, but fear kept him paralyzed, rooted to the ground.
Then, before he knew it, a deafening crash resounded next to him, his breathe was knocked out of his lungs, in its place were now numbing painful spikes, threatening to tear him apart. Black spots filled his hazy vision. Thornclaw and Sandstorm ran up to him, Brackenfur ran back to the way they came. He tried to breathe, but found it increasingly difficult with every heartbeat. Am I dying? No, I can't die. Sorreltail, Sorreltail is waiting for me back at home. His vision was now nothing more than a dark hazy blur. The figure similar to Thornclaw seemed to be talking to him, however his mind was a desperate mess, not responding to anything but the thought of survival, and perhaps, his sister.
Yet nothing can be done. As the pain on his flank got increasingly unbearable, the red, glistening pool beneath him got more and more prominent, and slowly seeped into the ground around him. He felt lightheaded, strangely lightheaded, his consciousness weaved in and out unpredictably, black spots appeared more in his vision. He wonder wryly why fate was so cruel to him, now that he was sure death was creeping near. Visions of the past were whisked into his mind, from the far old past, to the present, dancing across his bleary eyes gracefully, and then whisked away to never be see again.
Distantly, he could hear a heartbroken yowl, of someone dreadfully familiar but he fail to recognize. Along with the pair of paws stubbornly prodding him, but unsuccessful to snap him out from his dizziness. He love his sister, he really did, but the urge to gave in to the fatigue was overpowering. And soon he found himself losing consciousness for real.
Laying there in a pool of blood and mud, with a gigantic tree sprawled across his flank, he, at last ceased breathing. His pelt still ragged with rain and paws caked in muddy brown. The mouse was nowhere to be seen.
Claws. Yowls. Pain. Red.
Her eyes roamed the battlefield as her current opponent flee. Spotting her next target, she roared yet another battle cry as she flung herself onto a nearby dark furred Bloodclanner. Spitting and hissing, she clawed the face of her enemy, receiving a slash over her eye in return. The fight itself was ferocious, a mad dance of heavy strikes and fatal blows that if not careful, would cause her life.
In the midst of cornering her opponent, she heard a terrifyingly familiar bellow that faltered her attacks, giving her opponent the chance to land a fierce blow on her shoulder, she shrieked. She flattened her ears as she took a step back, snarling defensively, and struck the cat on their neck down to their chest in vengeance. The bloodclanner yowled agonizingly before fleeing, swiftly vanishing into the throng of battling cats.
She cringed as the pain of the blow on her shoulder caught up with her, but the familiar voice served as a reminder to keep her head and find whoever that was. Maneuvering through the battle ground was not as easy as it might seems, especially with the crippling pain eating away her leg and the constant battle cries that overpower the very same voice she heard. Yet then, at that exact moment, the realization hit her, that was Tornear's voice, her former mentor. She desperately willed herself to ran faster as she threw herself past the fray of tussling cats.
What laid on the far crimson stained ground chilled her to the core. A russet bloodclanner was pinning a wiry grey cat that she instantly recognized as Tornear, who was seemingly half-dead and wriggling futilely against the opposer. Without a moment of hesitation, she rammed head first into the russet cat, who yowled in surprise, but shortly recover with a slash of their own.
The wound on her shoulder proved to be a great disadvantage for her, and her opponent themselves seems to take that as an invitation. They wasted no time in covering her with fresh scratches. Their blow was far more heavy and deadly than the previous cat she fought, and she found herself steadily losing as claws were exchanged.
She quickly discover as to why was her mentor lying half-dead on the ground. This cat was very experience in this field, experienced fighter - killer, even. They knew places that if were to be injured, would be fatal. While herself was nothing but a mere incompetent new warrior, relying on instincts and pure luck, that alone should be more than enough to indicate the winner and loser. Despite that, she'd fight till her last breathe, no matter what the results may be, she would protect Tornear at the cost of her own life.
The opposing cat growled deeply, before pouncing on her. She rolled sideways, planning to evade then attack, but suddenly, without warning, the wound on her shoulder sharply tugged her muscle. She gasped in pain and halted. Her wound, which was hindering her escape, is her fatal mistake.
The bloodclanner pinned her down immediately, unsheathed ominous claws hovering over her throat. She saw her life flashed deliberately across her eyes. Kithood, apprenticeship, then warrior. Every moment of life that passed by, every tiniest of movement, captured into one quick passing view of nostalgia.
A force struck her throat, hard. She could no longer breathe easy, giving the feeling as if she was drowning in her own blood, no, wait, she was drowning in her own blood. Finishing the deed, the bloodclanner retreated back to find the next opponent, not even casting her a last glance as they left her to die.
Choking back a sob and blood, her eyes wander to Tornear, who was lying still as ever, which to her subconscious relief, was being protected by another cat. In that moment, Tornear met her gaze, and visibly flinched. She gazed at her former mentor blankly, her unfocused mind clouded with resigned regret and somnolence, and perhaps, longing. Tornear looked aghast, His mouth moved in a rough and rapid-fire manner, to which she vaguely heard, "Don't you dare die on me, you mouse-brain!"
She lay limp as the black spots gradually dotted her vision, and she drew a deep, shuddering breath. Then, she stilled, tear-soaked eyes left wide open, so as the gaping, gruesome bloody hole in her throat.
Under the sunset, the camp glowed delicately with the russet light of dusk, signaling the end of the day. In the crisp air, breeze softy flutter passed the camp, depositing the chilly evening air in the bustling camp clearing. Warriors were returning from the last batch of patrol. Every cat was getting ready for resting after a tiring day of duty.
It was peaceful times for the clan, and life couldn't get any better. She mused as she swept her gaze across the camp. Her dappled tortoiseshell friend was merrily telling kits stories of the day, to which they replied enthuastically. Her littermate was nowhere to be seen - probably at the dirtplace. She looked up at the fire-coloured sky, stars were peaking out behind the clouds as darkness slowly descended onto the forest.
Everything fell into a routine like always. But she never could shake the feeling of something was amiss sucessfully. Maybe it was because the absent of Halftail, or maybe it was because the colder air that she never seemed to get used to it. Whatever it might be, she found herself often questioning how much time she has left. Will she join Halftail soon? Or perhaps, way after Dappletail and Speckletail, who were still alive and strong? She actually wished she was taken instead of Willowpelt, even. A young cat like that still had moons and moons ahead of herself, and yet, Starclan take her away. Leaving her young kits parentless.
The stars glimmered brilliantly as if they sympathize with her, but that did nothing to soothe her contemplative mind. Without much cat to talk to - because of her deafness, she suppose - her mind and one good eye were always active. While physically, she's frail and weak, her mind was still working as well as how they used to, so that left her quite alert to her surroundings. But today, the very same void she called her mind appears strangely stiff and rusty, almost as the same manner as her joints, everything doesn't seems so vivid anymore. If one were to ask her why it appears so, she might've jokingly replied 'Starclan is calling for me' even.
Soon later, Speckletail returned to the den after bidding Brightheart good night. She smiled slightly at how happy Speckletail seems. The old queen was very depressed when Snowkit was taken by that mangy hawk, so when she found solace in Brightheart, obviously she'll be glad for her only kin. Speckletail padded to her and settled down nearby, but said nothing, it's not like they talked often anyway, they're rather distant for kins to be frank, she's far more closer to Dappletail than Speckletail if she say so herself.
Speaking about Dappletail, from the corner of her eye, she saw said tortoiseshell returning to the den grinning to herself. She guessed Dappletail had a fun conversation with the kits today. Dappletail waltzed in and plopped down next to her, seeming as she wanted to talk to her, but decided against it, to her disappointment. Instead turning to Speckletail and started speaking with the old queen, which sadly, no matter how much she strained her ears, she still couldn't hear a thing.
As she gazed up to the stars, she let out a wistful sigh her as she reminisced about how every dusk with Halftail used to be, sharing tongues and exchanging silent conversations that always warmed her inside, and sometimes young Runningwind and Mousefur would visit and drop a freshkill or two for them. But now, with Halftail and Runningwing up high in the stars, nothing is ever going to be the same again.
Gently, she laid her head on the fresh moss below, feeling of fatigue arriving earlier than usual. She shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable in her nest and curling her tail around her, but realizing it was rather fruitless, she instead settled with closing her eyes and wait sleep to overcome her, anticipating for the next morning to come. Perhaps, things might get better tomorrow - a lie she kept telling herself endlessly, shamelessly.
Little does she know, this will be her last time sleeping with Dappletail and Speckletail in the elders den, for her time is up, it's time she join the stars now.
(A/n): Well, as you could see, this is going to be a reincarnation fanfic. But first off, let's started with giving these three proper death scenes, because as you might realized, these trio never got a proper death scenes - to my utter disappointment - they were only told of how they died. So this prologue was created! This is also my first multi-chapter story, so please bear with me if updates were sparse. I'll try my best to update as fast as I could.